Sophomore Slumps: Are they real?

Coming into my sophomore year of college I had high expectations because of how well my freshman year went.  Then life hit me with a reality check- I'm not a freshman anymore and a lot more is expected of me.  You're not worrying so much about what clubs to join or where the library is on campus anymore. The stresses we face hit us harder, last longer, and test our ability to face challenges head on.  When talking to an upperclassman, I realized that all of this actually has a name: the sophomore slumps.  When doing a little digging online, this is what I found.

"Sophomores experience a whole new set of stressors as they return to the college campus. Unlike freshman, they receive fewer warnings about the do’s and don’ts of college life; they are expected to know how things work. Combine this with the push to declare a major, find an internship, and decide whether or not to study abroad can lead sophomores to fall into the 'sophomore slump.'  This new found set of expectations can lead to challenges for the second-year student."

While this may be true,  I don't think this so called sophomore slump is a bad thing.  It shows that we as students are growing up and becoming adults.  We're facing more decisions that will effect our life in the long run- like what our major is or where we decide to intern.  I'm a big believer that you get out what you put into the things you do.  This may be a club, a sorority or fraternity, a class, or even just your sophomore year in college.  I can say that I've experienced the normal stresses of a college sophomore, but I can't relate it to being a freshman because they're different.  Maybe that's one thing I've learned already this year- not to compare this year to the previous one.  Every year here at Coe presents me with new opportunities, new experiences, and new memories.  I believe that if you surround yourself with people you care about, study hard, use your resources wisely, talk to professors, get a good amount of sleep, eat well, exercise, have fun, and relax, then the sophomore slumps can be avoided.  It's safe to say that I've avoided it and I take pride in being a college sophomore, especially here at Coe. So next time you find yourself in a slump, remember that you're just growing as a person.  We only have two more full years of college left and we're all better off enjoying them.

Kohawk love,
Alexis

The Nice Thing About A Small School

I'm back at it this year... but now as a Sophomore.  I'm sitting here typing and I can't believe how fast time is flying by.  I can still remember my freshman year like it was yesterday (even though it kind of was)- where I was looking for all my classes, getting used to the Caf food, getting over freshman writing shock, pulling my first all-nighter, fighting home-sickness, and finding my nitch.  Phew, thinking about all of new people I met, memories I made, and experiences I acquired is making me exhausted.  If I would have known at the end of my senior year that Coe College was going to put me where I was today... I would have laughed in your face.  Little did I know that I would have joined a sorority and gain an office position, been in the Board of Directors for my dorm, join the Student Ambassadors, become a Campus Visit Day girl, get a position as a College Adjustment peer, and blog for the Admissions office all in my freshman year of college.  That's the nice thing about a small school- being able to get involved.

At the beginning of my college search I was destined to go to a big school.  I thought that I would end up at a state school- that's all I had grown up to know.  Having a sister go to Iowa State, UNI, and also a twin set on Iowa made my college decision that much harder.  Yet, I look back and realize that Coe College is where I was always destined to go, and I can't imagine being anywhere else.  Wanna know why a small school atmosphere hooked me?  Here's a few reasons that influenced me:

1) Almost everyone on Coe lives on campus.  Your study buddy, best friend, sorority sister, whoever it may be- is no less then a 5 minute walk away.
2) Which brings me to my second point... everything is only a 5 minute walk away.  There is no need to get used to a bus system, or walk up a giant hill for 20 minutes just to get to class.
3) You're a person, not a number.  Going to a school of 1,400 allows you to make yourself and be who you want to be.  Your professors know you by name, and you get to speak to them face to face on a daily basis.  The average class size is only 16!  You get a sense of a family and a community even when living in one of the biggest cities in Iowa.
4) Being in a big city leaves room for opportunity and many things to do. For example: Kernels games, NewBo City Market, Theaters, U.S. Cellular Center, and so much more. Coe is even a mile away from downtown Cedar Rapids, and is walking distance from several food places and a grocery store.
5) D3 sports.  Who doesn't love a football team who wins?

The list goes on, but I know I speak for many students when I say Coe is my home away from home.  Sophomore year has barely began and I'm already finding myself with amazing memories and experiences.  I was fortunate to be able to help with freshman orientation, sorority formal recruitment, and now this week I get to experience my first exams.  This year, though, its different. I have already been through all of these events and experienced it all as a freshman- but now I'm on the other side.  Instead of relying on a CAP leader to take me to orientation events, I was one.  Instead of going through formal recruitment and seeing what Greek Life was all about, I was a Delta helping girls find their place. I thought freshman year was good...I'm thinking sophomore year is going to be even better.  I can't wait to see what the rest of this semester and even the rest of my Sophomore year brings me.

Kohawk Love,
Alexis



My CAP group and I during freshman orientation!

Me during Formal Recruitment for Delta!